Written by

Biology teacher Dave Ragazzi instructs students to take part in an 'ice-breaking' exercise to get to know fellow classmates during Vineland High School 9-10 orientation Tuesday night. / Staff photo/Cody Glenn

Jaylen Zigler (left), 15, and Fredi Paredes, 14, learn more about each other by taking part in an 'ice-breaking' exercise during Vineland High School 9-10 orientation Tuesday night. / Staff photo/Cody Glenn

Olsen noted moving up to high school is a big adjustment as freshmen deal with lockers, changing classes and riding the bus with upperclassmen.

“Set some goals for yourselves,” he told the freshmen. “Follow directions, work as hard as you can and good things will happen for you.”

VHS 9-10 was selling Class of 2017 shirts to kick off some class spirit.

Olsen, in his second year as the school’s principal, has learned a thing or two. Orientation was so popular last year, he said, there wasn’t enough room in the auditorium to fit everyone. This year, he moved it to the school gym, which also quickly filled to capacity.

Orientation traditionally is a family affair, with freshmen in shorts and flip-flops trailed by parents and siblings.

Stacy Schnell sat beside three of her four boys in a front row bleacher seat. Karl Schnell is starting his VHS junior year and his younger brother, Tim Schnell, is the incoming freshmen.

The youngest, Nathan Schnell, is attending Wallace Intermediate School, but considered the orientation a coming attraction for when he enters VHS as a member of the Class of 2019.

Schnell said she has purchased uniforms for her boys and has bus passes in hand. She’s counting down to the first day of school on Sept. 5.

And then what’s a mom to do in a quiet house?

“I can clean,” she said.

Dianilda Torres was back for a second-generation orientation.

She was a VHS Class of 1986 graduate and remembered her first day being a bit overwhelming. And now returning with her daughters, she said she is surprised to see some of her teachers are still there.

Emily Torres, 13, already noticed the VHS hallways are larger than those at Rossi Intermediate School, which is now just a place of memories.

The freshman Torres was eager to win a spot on the VHS field hockey and softball teams. It’s whole different league at the high school level, she said.

You will automatically receive the TheDailyJournal.com Top 5 daily email newsletter. If you don't want to receive this newsletter, you can change your newsletter selections in your account preferences.